Contents

Plot

On Route 101Professor Birch is studying a wild Wurmple that is climbing a tree. The Wurmple begins to evolve, prompting Birch to open his Pokédex to gather more information. Suddenly, Birch receives a call from Norman, who informs him about that he passed the Gym Leader inauguration test and is moving to Littleroot Town. As Birch is about to leave to prepare a meal for his new neighbors, a pair of Mightyena sneak up behind him.

Back in Littleroot Town, Ruby's mother moves Ruby's belongings to his new room with the help of some Pokémon. She asks Ruby what he thinks, but he ignores the question. After his mother goes downstairs to continue cleaning before Norman comes home, Ruby notices a pair of sneakers his father gave him as a gift.

He throws the sneakers into the garbage and recaps his "runaway plan" to Nana, Kiki, and Rara. He reveals that his plan is to win all the Contests in Hoenn so that his "battle maniac" father will have no choice but to let Ruby do Pokémon Contests instead of battling like he wishes. He apologizes to his mother and sneaks out by climbing down rope outside his window, but decides to take the sneakers his father gave him anyway.

As he walks down Route 101, Ruby notices Professor Birch dangling from the tree he was climbing earlier. After he falls downs, Birch asks if Ruby can help him defeat the wild Mightyena that are attacking him. Due to the risk of his Pokémon getting covered in mud, Ruby refuses. Upon seeing the Mightyena, Ruby considers the two Pokémon beautiful and asks if they want to join his Contest team.

The Mightyena attack Ruby, but he dodges every attack and notices Birch's dropped Pokédex on the ground. He picks it up and finds out their name, even piecing together that they are the evolved form of Nana, Ruby's Poochyena. Ruby decides to battle the Mightyena, and sends out Nana and has her use Leer. The move doesn't do anything due to Ruby caring only about appearances and the Mightyena pounce on them again.

Ruby and Birch run away from the attackers, until the soles of Ruby's shoes begin spiraling, sending him dashing forward in a huge burst of speed. Ruby continues running until he jumps off a cliff, until a Pokémon covered in leaves swings by and saves him. Ruby later wakes up in a cave with Nana, where he gets a call on Birch's Pokégear that he accidentally picked up earlier.

Professor Birch introduces himself, and reveals that the shoes Ruby has are the Running Shoes, a special pair of sneakers made by the Devon Corporation that he gave to Norman as a gift to his son. As Ruby worries about his runaway plan being revealed, the "Pokémon" that saved Ruby earlier begins to talk to him and asks if he is okay.

Shocked at the idea of a talking Pokémon, Ruby freaks out and Nana attacks the mysterious creature. Angered, the creature rips off its leaf cloak, revealing it to be a human girl wearing a leaf bikini and a Torchic on top of her head.